In reply to Earnest Nicholas Samuel Ringgenberg (msg # 569):

The patrolman shrugs. "Not unless we leave Rockville vulnerable. We lost a few men already over the last few days. I am grateful for your help, but I reckon we ought to get things in order here, first."

In reply to Jacob Richardsen (msg # 571):

Tracy shrugs. "We left intending to follow the horse, so I say we keep this way," the investigator says, gesturing towards the mesa.

OOC:

08:02, Today: Tracy Windham rolled 3,5 using d8,d6, rerolling max ((3,5)).

In reply to Judge Messalen (msg # 572):

Earnest shrugs.

Well, we took out a number of them at their camp and captured one, Springdale cleaned up their town as you did here... I suspect they are on the run, perhaps making a stand in Grafton which we will address soon. I understand your stance but it behooves us to band together to get rid of these invaders once and for all.

Earnest gives Wainwright a hard look.

I can only ask you to consider that as you make your decisions.

OOC: Not sure if this counts as a persuasion... let me know if you want a roll!

In reply to Earnest Nicholas Samuel Ringgenberg (msg # 574):

OOC: It’s up to you whether you’re trying to Persuade or just making IC suggestion to the Extra. Roll if you want to.

As if they momentarily read each other's minds, Tracy and Tommy pause after the conversation and glance at each other. It occurs to both men that they are likely approaching the border between the Utah and the Mexican territories.

They voice their thoughts at nearly the same time. Their words reminds Jake of his musings in the last hour or so. Maximillian's army, backed by the French Foreign Legion, control the area to the south. Although, they still have their own troubles with some of the Native tribes in the canyon areas. The rifleman shares this with his pards after the other two mention their thoughts about the proximity of the border.

If they push further across this mesa to follow the horse's tracks -- especially if they enter the pass ahead spied by Pearce -- they will likely leave the United States. Iffin' they haven't already crossed over the border.

In reply to Judge Messalen (msg # 575):

OOC: Fair enough... will leave it as-is for now.

In reply to Judge Messalen (msg # 576):

"Too bad Mon-shurre Pwa-re-eh ain't no-whaere to be found," Jake muttered as he peered ahead into what he was fairly certain-shurre was French territory.

The Texican glanced up at the sky, as if to see if the Frenchman and his contraption might be floating somewhere up above them, but saw nothing but a solitary bird -- to Jacob, it looked like a vulture -- riding the wind currents.

"We could be a-ridin' in his bah-loon con-trap-shunn, sippin' mint jue-lips an' eatin' bon-bons -- whatever they is."

"Plus, he could speak the lingo iff'n we bump into any uhv them Frenchies."

After a short pause, Jake scratched at his chin-whiskers and added "Wonder iff'n they really eat frogs? Is that what bon-bons is, mayhap?"

---

OOC: Edited to clean a few things up. I hit the "Post" button instead of "Preview", as is my usual wont (thus giving me an opportunity to indulge in the aforesaid clean-up activities prior to posting, rather than, ahem, post-posting). :)
This message was last edited by the player at 22:11, Thu 07 Mar.

In reply to Earnest Nicholas Samuel Ringgenberg (msg # 574):

Padre sees and hears The Professor attempt to underscore the importance of his message.

Jensen. Wainwright.

Padre leans forward and pats Gennie on the side of her neck before turning his attention back to the Patrolmen.

The only way to get things in order is to drive these bandits out. Otherwise you will never be safe and this will keep happening.

Trust me. They need to be dealt with soon. The Professor is right. We need your help.

Padre looks directly into their eyes and does not blink. He focuses exactly between the eyes. The discomfort of slightly off eye contact took some skill to inflict. He remembers The Father used to do this to him. He had to learn not to buckle. If done right, simply looking at a man the right way will make them weep.

OOC:
16:32, Today: Albert (Padre) Juhasz rolled 4,7 using d8+2,d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of 2,5.  Intimidation - Gaze of Truth. – 4,7

21:34, Today: Albert (Padre) Juhasz rolled 4,12 using d8+2,d6+2, rerolling max ((2,(6+4)10)). Benny Reroll.

Gaze of Truth is not in the rulebook anywhere but I decided that Padre thinks its his own internal power and his own internal dialogue will refer to the Gaze of Truth.


<EDIT> added benny reroll per PM with Judge.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:36, Fri 08 Mar.

In reply to Albert (Padre) Juhasz (msg # 579):

The Wainwright named Jensen averts his eyes from Padre's gaze. He looks a mite ashamed of himself. "Yessir. We shall do as you say when the time comes."

Padre and Earnest believe the man intends to keep his word, even though he seems motivated more by fear -- perhaps fear of both the invaders and the heroes -- than by reason.

"Borderlands ..I tawt we must be close. It's ta same everywhere around the world, sure it's no different here, each side fightin ta keep t'other out but not least bit averse ta go raid'n across the border themselves. As in we are strangers to both sides we have ta be wary."

"Surely e as taken anytin of value wit im and just let the mount run..to trow us off the track. He's feelin safe I betcha, close to his mates and their base...either that or e has a known hidin place ere."

"We might be walkin into another trap gents. Let's just see if we can spot im ahead anywhere"

Tommy takes out the field glasses and tries to look ahead for any signs of the invader
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
13:05, Today: Thomas Pearce rolled 10,2 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of (6+4)10,2.  Notice roll - look for invader with field glasses.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:13, Sat 09 Mar.

In reply to Judge Messalen (msg # 580):

Padre nods.

Very wise. A man knows nothing, who does not know himself.

Padre looked over to see if The Professor was ready.

Shall we go have a look at the sleeping quarters? May be nothing but floor and walls but you know what they say about idle hands..

In reply to Albert (Padre) Juhasz (msg # 582):

Earnest grins up at Padre.

Let's do!

He nods at the Elder... Mr. Wainright

He walks his horse over to the indicated boarding house and ties her up there then waits for Padre to dismount.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:14, Tue 12 Mar.

In reply to Thomas Pearce (msg # 581):

Pearce gazes through his field glasses for a spell. He looks around, and before long he sees Red Shirt moving towards the group. All three of the pards see the Paiute approach.

When he arrives, he stops briefly and speaks two words before he turns to follow the trail back the way they came.

"Walk horses."

In reply to Earnest Nicholas Samuel Ringgenberg (msg # 583) and Albert (Padre) Juhasz (msg # 582):

The two pards amble over to the boarding house. Earnest goes slowly, still feeling the effects of his wounds. Ideally, the professor would prefer a few days of bed rest. Circumstance dictate otherwise. He does his best to keep up with Padre.

In the boarding house, they meet the matron of the place, Madame Laffon. She graciously shows them the room where the men took shifts to sleep. "Never more than one at a time," she notes, twisting her petite frame when she speaks to the men.

It's clear she has already cleared the place of any sign of the invaders.

OOC: The note about Earnest is to reinforce this as time moves much slower in the game than it does in RL. The Judge appreciates the players keeping the W number updated on the bio line.

In reply to Judge Messalen (msg # 585):

Padre scans the room. No immediate indication of anyone having habitated. It reminded Padre of the rooms at his seminary. Not  in its bareness but in its inability to retain a memory.  Four stone walls and a hay mattress on the floor.  may as well have been prison.

If this doesn't pan out, Professor, I am plumb out of idears.

That may be a blessing Padre thinks. They both could use more rest.

Padre continues to scan the room for any indication of anything that may have been missed by Madame Laffon's cleaning.

OOC:
15:06, Today: Albert (Padre) Juhasz rolled 4,7 using d8+2,d6+2, rerolling max ((2,5)).

Padre is certain: Mme. Laffon, or perhaps her underling, is an excellent cleaner. The only evidence indicating someone had slept here recently remains the word of the townsfolk, including the matron herself.

In reply to Judge Messalen (msg # 585):

Earnest looks over the room from where he stands, then turns to the owner.

Madame Laffon, was anything found while cleaning this room... anything at all? Was the mattress turned?

Is there a wardrobe or chest of drawers in the room?

In reply to Judge Messalen (msg # 585):

The Paiute glances over his shoulder to ensure the men are following. He continues to walk, stopping once the men had moved north and out of site of the second mesa. Tracy figures they've retraced about 1/3 of the route. The Californian is also convinced the human tracks belonged to Red Shirt.

"Foreign Legion camped beyond pass. Horse went that way." He points to south, generally towards the mesa where the three riders had stopped and the pass that Tommy had spied.

"I saw twenty. Probably more beyond."

The Paiute's soliloquy surprises the men. Four sentences might be an all time high for the reticent guide.

In reply to Earnest Nicholas Samuel Ringgenberg (msg # 588):

Earnest's question seems a might odd to the matron, at least judging by her expression. The professor can see with his own eyes that no chest of drawers, footlocker, or wardrobe exists in the spartan room. He and Padre did see one wood chair, a small high table with a wash basin, and several pegs in the wall where coats, hats, and other garments could be hung. They are empty now,

Still Mme. Laffon answers politely, as she glances at the room's meager furnishings. "Non et non," she says, her accent more prominent for a moment. "We turned it not long ago."

In reply to Red Shirt (msg # 589):

"Damnaeshunn, Red Shirt," the Texican said, flashing a smile.

"I don't bee-lieve I've ever heered you be so all-fired windy afore."

"An' see," Jacob continued, "it warn't so bad. Lightnin' din't come down out've the sky an' strike uhs down. We din't see ol' Noah a-wavin' at us from his Arc as he floated by."

Jake fell silent and seemingly pondered over the fact that a French Foreign Legion camp was nearby. Those were tough men, he had no doubt -- men who had seen the elephant various times, and lived to tell about it. He had no wish to tangle with 20 of them.

"I'd a' thunk that them yahoos we whooped might be dee-serters from that bunch. 'Cept they had a feller who I bee-lieve was an officer amongst 'em."

"An' officers don't often-tiemes dee-sert, near as I can tell."

---

Edit: Fixed a coloration issue.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:57, Sat 16 Mar.

In reply to Judge Messalen (msg # 590):

Earnest nods and smiles at the matron.

Well, hiding something under the mattress seems about the only option in this room... So if you do not mind, we'll have a quick look.

He goes to the bed and carefully lifts the mattress to avoid messing up the bedding as he looks underneath.

OOC: He doesn't expect to find anything, but Earnest will look under both sides of the mattress.

In reply to Earnest Nicholas Samuel Ringgenberg (msg # 592):

Mme. Laffon shrugs and nods her assent.

As he expected, Earnest finds nothing of interest when inspecting the mattress.

In reply to Jacob Richardsen (msg # 591):

Tracy was very glad to see Red Shirt again. Until the Paiute showed up and led them away from the mesa, he was very unsure what to do. He wanted to chase after the horse, but he also wanted to keep his pards out of danger. Red Shirt's appearance made the deliberation moot.

The investigator nodded when Jake mused about the invaders potentially having deserted from the Legion. "That would explain why they were so organized for sure. But is it significant that they were speaking Spanish rather than French? I don't know how common that would be in the ranks of the Legion myself." He shrugs.

"Did you see anything else of interest, Red Shirt?"

In reply to Judge Messalen (msg # 593):

Earnest finishes his look, shakes his head, then turns back to Padre and the Matron.

Nothing at all, as expected... Can you think of anything else Padre? I don't suppose they left anything in your care Madame Laffon?

In reply to Earnest Nicholas Samuel Ringgenberg (msg # 595):

I dont even have an inkling of an idea.

Damn...

Might just serve us better to rest up and be pink when our Pards come a-calling.